Electrified: Part 1: Rise of the Firebird
by GigisRealm
Summary: Four creatures meet a young firebird prince, named Blue Flame, whose destiny is to become the next emperor of the Lightning Tribes. Will Blue Flame be able to overcome the dark forces that challenge his fate? *This is a Looney Tunes fantasy, which is in no way like the old cartoons. I don't own any Looney Tune related characters. Every other character is mine.
1. Chapter 1: The New Warrior

**This is my first story on FF. I'm really excited about it and would like to know what you all think. So please, feel free to leave a review. No trolling! I won't tolerate any of that! Enjoy the story! :)**

* * *

**Chapter 1: The New Warrior**

The wind howled mournfully; gloomy grey clouds hid the happy blue sky above. Snowflakes here and there traveled abstractly on the wind currents. A thick blanket of snow covered a vast area of the region, leaving no sign of hope for any living thing that dared to go there. Somewhere in the white wilderness, there stood a lonely cabin, lost in the sea of snow. The warm glow from the cabin's windows did little to chase away the white gloom.

Four lonely creatures resided in this cabin, unsure of where they were, or what even happened to them. A fire roared in the fireplace, casting its comforting glow through the semi-empty cabin. A golden-winged, black creature sat in front of the fireplace, hunched over in deep thought. Her brown eyes gazed intently into the flames; her two long braids hung listlessly in front of her blue vest, resting on her brown pants, as the rest of her golden-blonde hair flowed down her back. Her white-striped tail swished gently now and then, a sure sign she was thinking.

A gray rabbit wearing black pants sat down on the sofa to the right of the winged skunk. He seemed impatient as he constantly brushed his black leather-gloved hand through his flaxen hair and played with his clawed and beaded necklace.

"You've been sitting there a while," he said.

"Hm?" was the response.

"What are you thinking about?" the rabbit asked quietly.

"Oh, just stuff…"

"Like…?"

"It's none of your business, Dagger!" the skunk snapped.

"Excuse me?!" Dagger shot back. "Is that how you speak to me?!"

"When you're sitting there being an idiot, yes!" the skunk spoke sharply.

"As the leader of this band, I demand-"

"I'll be right back," the skunk interrupted, promptly standing up and marching towards the door.

"Where are you going?" Dagger raised his voice.

"Just going out for some fresh air," the skunk responded, "And to clear my mind. I'll be right back." She immediately opened the door, stepped out, and shut it with a loud bang. This display only made Dagger more irritable, as he huffed moodily and pressed himself against the couch pillows.

As if that moment couldn't get any worse, another skunk (this one a male with a green vest and brown pants) entered the living room.

"What was that about?" he asked in a scolding tone. His accent was always strongest when he was expressing negative emotion.

"You know what? That's none of your business!" Dagger snapped.

"Really…!" said the skunk. "Why were you bugging Goldwing?"

"Thunder, shut it!" Dagger almost shouted. "Go find something to do with yourself! Leave me be!"

Thunder shrugged, turned around, and went up the ladder to the loft.

* * *

Goldwing seemed unfazed by the biting cold as she wandered absent-mindedly through the barren wilderness. Occasionally, she would look up, only to see the same flat horizon she saw before. Nothing was new. The snow seemed to stretch onward for all eternity. She continued walking with her head down for a short while, but when she looked up again, she saw a bump in the snow. Immediately, her pace quickened, eventually turning into a run towards the unusual lump. As soon as she arrived at the bump, she quickly brushed the snow away. What she discovered was shocking. Under all that snow laid another black creature – though this one was feathered, and he had long white hair that turned blue at the edges. Goldwing continued digging away at the snow and saw that the creature wore light brown pants and black shoes with white socks underneath.

All this was so amazing to the young skunk that she dug faster until the creature was loosened from the snow's ruthless bondage. She gently lifted him up, careful not to hurt his bill or pull his hair, and carried him back to the cabin.

* * *

"She just walks away without saying where she's going!" Dagger fumed, pacing the cabin irritably.

"Oh, shut up!" retorted a brown female rabbit. "You're not her father!"

"It's not the point!" Dagger exploded.

"Goldwing's coming!" Thunder blurted, looking out the window. He instantly rushed to the door and swung it open. His bald face dropped at the sight before him, and his reddish brown eyes grew wide. "Goldie, what in the world…?"

"It's a black duck, stupid!" Goldwing snapped, obviously still irritated from earlier. "Now help me warm him!" She ran over to the fireplace, Thunder following her. As Goldwing set the duck down, the male skunk took a blanket from off the couch and covered the creature.

"That should do it," said Thunder once the creature was completely covered.

"Thanks, Thunder," Goldwing said plainly.

The male skunk smiled good-naturedly; then seated himself next to his favorite winged friend.

Dagger peered at the odd white-haired creature. "I don't know…what do you think, Diamond?" he asked the female rabbit.

"No threat," Diamond shrugged.

Dagger didn't answer. He simply sat on the couch, his legs pressed together and his arms crossed.

Not a few minutes passed before the long-haired duck began to stir. Thunder nudged Goldwing, who was off in a daydream somewhere. As she blinked herself back to reality, she saw the duck's eyes flutter open. When he opened his eyes fully, he gazed at them curiously at first. Then as he observed his surroundings, he jumped up and almost backed into the fireplace. Thunder, Goldwing, Dagger, and Diamond had also risen from their places, shocked by the sudden display of fright.

"Careful, now," Thunder cautioned, putting his hands forward, attempting to draw the duck away from the flames. "Don't burn yourself." The duck grunted and pulled away from Thunder; the feathered creature began to spark, and immediately his whole body was alive with blue electricity. Thunder backed away instantly, and resolved to only watch what the creature would do.

The duck seemingly tried to force something through his hand. Becoming frustrated when nothing appeared, he put his hand through the flame – much to the bewilderment of the other four creatures. When the duck pulled his hand out, it was completely on fire. Next, he sent an electric charge to his flaming hand, and the yellow ball of fire became much hotter than before. The flame grew hotter until it burned bluish-white.

Goldwing, Diamond, and Thunder's eyes were wide with astonishment and interest. Dagger, on the other hand, looked as if he wanted to run out the door and never come back – but he stayed, despite his mild apprehension to this electric fire thing that was now in the cabin.

The feathered one eyed the creatures before him – which made Dagger more nervous. The duck's fiery yellow eyes snapped over to the gray rabbit. Dagger, now becoming increasingly afraid, reached back into his pocket and slowly pulled out a knife. Observing this, the duck quickly put the fire in his hand out, and knocked the knife out with a single electric bolt. At first, Dagger's eyes went wide with surprise, but then he snarled and lunged at the duck. The feathered creature smirked and instantly brought down the rabbit with another bolt. Dagger lay on the floor, shocked.

"Now just you wait a minute," Diamond challenged, stepping forward. "You can't treat him like that! You don't even know him!"

The duck scowled at the comment, and instantly put a ring of fire around Diamond, making her scream.

"Uh, little help here?" Diamond said nervously, as she gazed wide-eyed at the fire around her feet. Thunder glanced from Diamond back to the feathered creature. Unfortunately, the duck's piercing yellow-eyed gaze bore into Thunder.

_What do I do?_ Thunder's mind raced. _I've heard of creatures like this, but not how to deal with them. _As the skunk fretted inwardly over his options, he noticed the duck was slowly beginning to light on fire. _Oh my!_ Thunder panicked.

"Um…please," Thunder began, trying to remain calm. "We mean you no harm."

The duck snarled. Something in the skunk's accent was making the feathered fire creature uneasy; and it showed as more visible electric charges weaved their way through the black body.

"Did I say something wrong?" Thunder mumbled. Suddenly, the fire creature lunged at the skunk and pinned him to the floor. The duck's eyes began to glow white with hot blue surrounding the white center. But suddenly, as fast as he had lit himself on fire, the feathered creature's eyes ceased glowing and the flames engulfing his body subsided; the electric charges disappeared.

The duck turned his head slowly towards Goldwing, as he felt her hand on his shoulder. Her face was the first to show true compassion as she smiled sweetly. The duck, however, remained impassive as he stood up, still gazing into Goldwing's eyes. The golden winged skunk became locked into the fire creature's gaze, nearly being sent into a trance.

Without warning, the duck disappeared in a flash of fire, startling Goldwing. She blinked, not realizing what just happened. Thunder slowly propped himself up on his elbows, watching his friend intensely.

"Are you all right?" he asked, feeling quite concerned.

Goldwing shook her head. "Um, yeah," she stammered. "Sure…" She stared aimlessly. "Where did he go?"

Once recovering from the shock, Dagger stood up, though his legs shook quite a bit. "Why does it matter?" he said gruffly. "That…that thing's…dangerous!"

"…I wouldn't say 'dangerous,'" Goldwing said quietly.

"Goldwing, you saw how he reacted to Thunder!" Dagger retorted. "We can't have that menace living here!"

There was a slight pause before Goldwing spoke. "He's not a menace," she said, her voice softer than before.

"What, now, was he communicating through mental telepathy or something?" Dagger said sarcastically.

"Uh, guys!" Diamond called out. Dagger and Thunder looked in her direction. The fire ring was still burning around her, but didn't spread any farther. "How am I supposed to get out of this thing? I mean, is it gonna do something if I jump out?"

Goldwing recovered her senses and brought her attention to Diamond. The winged skunk walked over to the fire ring. Licking her finger, she brought it to the flame; as soon as she touched it, the ring instantly disappeared. Dagger's jaw all but hit the floor.

"Oh, great!" the rabbit slapped his head. "Magic fire now?"

"It's not magic," Goldwing said standing up. "When water – or anything wet – touches a firebird's ring of fire, it'll go out."

Dagger's lower eyelid twitched. "How is this possible?" he wondered aloud, his voice tense.

"Go take a breather," Goldwing said dismissively as she went towards the ladder that led to the loft. She briskly climbed it and disappeared into the darkness.

"Teach me not to listen to the firebird stories," Diamond said ashamedly, rubbing the back of her neck. Thunder had already stood up. He noticed Dagger's wide-eyed expression and almost burst out laughing. It wasn't everyday that something this exciting – or particularly amusing – happened. Dagger's gaze shifted over to the amused skunk. The rabbit moodily crossed his arms and glared menacingly – which didn't faze Thunder in the least. The skunk tried to regain his composure.

"Goldie's right," Thunder smiled. "You should take a breather." He patted his friend on the shoulder and also went toward the loft. Dagger huffed and planted himself in the couch. Diamond shrugged to herself and left the living area.

* * *

Goldwing meandered through the cabin, slowly turning her head every which way while nonchalantly playing with her braids.

_I wonder where he went,_ she thought as she stopped herself in front of the empty couch. She stood there for a moment, thinking that maybe he was behind it. Peeping around the couch, Goldwing found, to her amazement, the white-haired creature curled into a sitting position, seemingly asleep. A small gasp escaped her mouth, which startled the black duck. His head instantly shot up, his yellow eyes boring into Goldwing.

"It's okay," she said softly, extending her hand. The fire creature suddenly caught the skunk's wrist, gripping it so tight, Goldwing thought her bones would be crushed. Her breath grew rapid and her eyes increased to twice their size. The duck slowly stood up as he kept his gaze – and grip – steady. Goldwing attempted to draw back, but she was stuck – much to her dismay.

"Please…let go…" she said helplessly. "I don't- want- to hurt you!"

"Why have you brought me here?" the duck asked sharply.

Goldwing's breath slowed. Did she really hear that? This creature actually spoke to her!

"Answer me!" he snapped, with an obvious lisp.

The golden-winged skunk took a deep breath, trying to remain calm. "Y…you were buried under the snow," she managed to say. "You were…passed out. I couldn't just…leave you there…"

"Hm," the duck said, his gaze not as harsh now. He loosened his grip on Goldwing's wrist, releasing it. The skunk rubbed her wrist, letting out a distinct "ow." The creature's expression became calm, and his eye color wasn't as intense as before.

"Who are you?" the duck asked simply.

"I'm Goldwing," she answered quietly. "What's your name?"

"Blue Flame," the duck responded respectfully.

"Pleasure to meet you," Goldwing said politely, extending her other hand. This time, Blue Flame responded with a gentle handshake. The skunk breathed a sigh of relief, which prompted Blue Flame to chuckle.

"I guess this means you're not mad at me?" Goldwing joked.

"Mad?" Blue Flame smiled sarcastically. "Who said I was mad?"

Goldwing giggled. "I see you have a sense of humor!"

"Maybe I do," Blue Flame said matter-of-factly, though he smirked. "Having a sense of humor is important," he continued on a more serious note. "Without it, you would become austere, and strange to those around you. You'd be the subject of everyone's gossip."

"That's…very true…!" Goldwing said slowly. "I've never thought about it that way. Did you learn that on your own?"

"I learned mostly from…my dad," Blue Flame explained, his voice trailing off at the word 'dad.' His eyes cast downward.

"Oh," Goldwing said softly. "What…happened to him?"

Blue Flame looked up quickly, pain written all over his face. Goldwing began to think she said something wrong; her heart pounded a little. "That's another story for another time," the firebird said a little rapidly.

The winged skunk shifted uncomfortably. "…Okay," she muttered. "Just…please don't get angry at me…you know…for asking."

Blue Flame sighed. "…I have no right to be angry with you. And I can't say you don't know the pain I feel. Let's leave this subject alone for a while, and focus on getting to know each other. Everything will be revealed in time."

Goldwing smiled slightly. "All right then," she agreed. "Do you need to be alone for a bit?"

"No…" the firebird sighed. "I'll be fine…for now."

"Okay. Won't you sit down on the couch?" she offered.

Blue Flame raised an eyebrow.

"So…we can…get to know each other better?" Goldwing added.

The firebird smiled. "That's fine with me."

Goldwing returned the smile.

* * *

"I've lost them!" a strange creature shouted. He had an odd voice; his body was solid black; only his eyes showed; and he was decked from head to foot with beautifully furnished battle armor, though half his body was showing.

"Master Lucianus! Please calm down!" an old fox admonished. "You've been fuming for over an hour!" But the servant's words did little to soothe the raging humanoid creature.

"I can't calm down!" Lucianus roared, his body growing tense. "This was my only chance! And that accursed fire creature blew it! (Quite literally, I'm afraid.)"

"If you make a conscious effort to soothe your rage, you may be able to think!" the robed silver fox advised.

Lucianus stared into the fox's slanted black eyes. The black creature looked back at his damaged machinery and sighed heavily. "Silver, my humble servant, I have lots of work to do. You may turn in for the night."

Silver bowed respectfully and made his way towards his sleeping quarters. Lucianus seated himself in his laboratory chair, making a conscious effort to breathe and slow down his rising heart rate. _I must be careful to not overdo it,_ he thought to himself. _If I want to accomplish my agenda, I must not risk my health. Eventually, I'll find those creatures, but I need to focus on the important things._ Lucianus looked around at his half-destroyed lab. _…Like cleaning this awful mess._

Before Goldwing went to bed, she made sure that Blue Flame was okay with sleeping on the couch. The firebird had confirmed that he was, stating that he could also keep an eye on the fire. Once the two had bid each other 'good night,' the winged skunk climbed the ladder. As she neared the top, she was startled by Dagger standing in the way.

"Couldn't find it in your heart to kick him out, huh?" the rabbit said mockingly.

"You've got some nerve!" Goldwing shot back.

"I'd say you're the one who has the nerve! Didn't I already state that we can't have that menace here?"

"And who made you the boss?"

Dagger recoiled at that little challenge, his eyes widening with anger. Seeing that Dagger had no answer, Goldwing roughly pushed past him and crawled into her bed, folding her massive wings over herself to stay warm. The rabbit, realizing he got literally nowhere with the argument, huffed and crawled into his own bed, opposite from Goldwing's and Diamond's.

* * *

The night crawled by slowly for Dagger. He tossed and turned non-stop. Whichever position he lay in, he wasn't comfortable. Dagger had no idea what time it was, but he thought he'd check the fire and stoke it if need be. He quietly slid out of bed and climbed down the loft ladder. When he turned around, he saw the fire was still going. Looking to the right, he saw Blue Flame passed out on the couch, snoozing contentedly.

Something caught Dagger's attention. He silently moved closer to the fireplace and was taken aback at what he saw: tiny bright yellow girls with their hair on fire! The rabbit couldn't believe it. He had never seen such adorable little pixies in his life – especially not where he came from. They were laughing and dancing through the fireplace, though their laughter sounded musical and pleasant. A strange feeling of joy began to rise inside Dagger. He knew that feeling, and it had been so long since he felt joy. He couldn't control the smile that spread across his face.

Suddenly, Blue Flame turned on his side, which made Dagger jump and forget his emotions. The rabbit looked back at the firebird and was about to leave, had not Blue Flame seen him and spoken to him.

"What are you doing?" the firebird asked curiously.

Dagger's emotionless look returned. "Just checking the fire- wait a minute!" the rabbit stopped. "You speak?"

"We are not discussing whether or not I know how to use my vocal chords," Blue Flame said flatly. "I was simply asking what you were doing."

Dagger became increasingly irritated, but he hid it well. "I was just checking the fire," he said smoothly. "Now if you'll excuse me, I'd like to get some sleep."

"Why else did you come down here?" the firebird questioned, his curiosity rising.

"That's none of your business!" Dagger snapped and swiftly went back up to the loft. Blue Flame shrugged and immediately fell asleep.

"Why else did I come down there," Dagger muttered under his breath as he crawled into bed. Laying his head on his pillow did nothing to soothe his intensifying headache. _Probably some psychic,_ Dagger thought. _He probably knows, he's just playing tricks on me._

"Freak…" Dagger whispered to himself.


	2. Chapter 2: Jealousy and Trust

**So what's up with Dagger and why is he so...crabby? Read on! **

* * *

**Chapter 2: Jealousy and Trust**

The sun rose just a few hours later. Dagger was extremely exhausted, and opted to sleep in. Goldwing, Thunder, and Diamond however were well rested and ready to begin their day.

Goldwing was the first one to wake up the sleeping firebird. Upon waking up, she excitedly flew out of her bed – not literally – but when she reached the bottom of the ladder, she saw no sign of her new friend.

"He's gone!" she panicked.

"WHAT?" Thunder and Diamond exclaimed at the same time.

"How could he be gone?" Diamond questioned.

"I'd hate to say this," Thunder whispered. "But maybe Dagger was right."

"Don't tell him that," Diamond whispered back. "Besides, it's too early to tell."

Goldwing had already begun looking for the white-haired creature. After spending a minute of frantic searching, she finally went outside and found Blue Flame on the porch. He stood absolutely still, letting the cold breeze play with his hair as he watched the sun rise. His feathers ruffled a bit, and his expression seemed rather dreamy and far away. The sun's pale wintery light gently touched the edges of his hair, and highlighted his arms and proud chest.

Goldwing breathed a sigh of relief, a sound which snapped Blue Flame out of his trance.

"I was beginning to think you left us," Goldwing began, as she approached the firebird.

"Why would I?" Blue Flame said good-naturedly. "Running out on all of you would be disrespectful. Besides, I still have yet to be properly introduced to your little band here."

"Please come in then," said Goldwing. "It's rather cold out."

"Feels good in the sunlight," Blue Flame smiled. "But for your sake, I'll come in."

Goldwing felt her heart flutter at the comment. Blue Flame had taken a liking to the skunk, but in a friend sort of way. Besides, she was the one who saved him from freezing to death – not to mention, she was very beautiful.

Once inside, they were greeted by Thunder and Diamond.

"Good morning," Blue Flame said, bowing politely.

"Oh, so you do talk!" Diamond interjected.

"Diamond!" Thunder hissed.

"What was with that whole display yesterday evening?" Diamond continued. "You don't have a mental deficiency by any chance?"

Thunder suddenly covered Diamond's mouth, flashing a nervous smile at Blue Flame.

"You'll have to excuse her," Thunder said defensively. "She tends to speak without thinking sometimes."

"I see," Blue Flame said flatly.

"Well, good morning to you," Thunder said cheerily. "My name's Thunder."

"I'm Blue Flame," the firebird returned courteously. "And let me guess," he added, turning his attention to the female rabbit, "this is 'Diamond.'"

Diamond struggled out of Thunder's grasp. "Pleased to meet you!" she greeted warmly.

"So, you're all from the North," Blue Flame observed.

"Why, yes," said Thunder.

Upon hearing the male skunk's response, Blue Flame's gaze suddenly grew hard, his eyes boring into Thunder like a laser beam. Thunder felt absolutely frightened by the fiery stare, but he tried to disguise his fright. He couldn't remember the last time he had felt such fear. Sure he had been afraid before, but never like this. His very insides began to tremble. His reddish eyes became pale, and a wave of dizziness came over him. Blue Flame – apparently not realizing his own attitude had changed – seemed concerned by the skunk's sudden change in demeanor, and asked, "Are you all right?"

"I-I'm…fine," Thunder stammered, before sinking to the floor. Fortunately, Blue Flame rushed forward and caught him, while Diamond and Goldwing panicked.

"What did you do to him?" Diamond wondered.

"I'll explain later," Blue Flame said quickly. "Let's put him on the couch."

Once Thunder was settled into the cushions, the two females knelt on the floor, waiting for Blue Flame's explanation. The firebird noticed this but remained standing.

"So, what was that about?" Goldwing asked.

"I can't tell you that now," Blue Flame answered quietly.

"Why?" Diamond interjected. "You're not some psycho murderer, are you?"

"Diamond!" Goldwing groaned.

"Diamond, please," Blue Flame said hotly. "No more questions on the matter! Everything will be revealed in its time."

"Why, you hiding something?" said another voice. All heads turned and the three friends saw Dagger standing with his arms crossed and the most sarcastic, arrogant expression on his face. The rabbit stepped forward. "That was the most impressive thing I've ever seen," he said smirking. Blue Flame's blood pressure began to go up, and he felt slight electric surges going through his body. Dagger continued. "I've been trying for a long time to show that arrogant skunk who's boss around here-" The rabbit was stopped short by a firm grip around his throat. His eyes grew wide in astonishment as he realized that iron grip belonged to Blue Flame. The firebird was surprisingly strong for a fowl, considering these creatures had hollow bones that aided in flying.

"Don't you dare utter another word," Blue Flame said in a low, menacing voice. With that, he let go of Dagger's throat, the rabbit collapsing to the floor in a gasping heap. Goldwing and Diamond were already on their feet, their mouths gaping and eyes as wide as saucers. Once again, the firebird disappeared in a flash of fire.

Diamond rushed to Dagger. "Are you all right?"

"Get away from me!" Dagger rasped, violently pushing her away, and struggling to stand up.

"Gee, that's all the thanks I get?!" Diamond shot back. "At least be glad someone cares about you!"

Goldwing instantly covered the blonde rabbit's mouth. Dagger snorted irritably and went up to the loft to go sulk on his bed.

They were in for a long eventful day.

* * *

And eventful it was. Thunder had woken up to find Blue Flame pacing restlessly around the cabin. When the skunk tried to get the firebird's attention, it was met with a hard, intense stare from those fiery yellow eyes. Even though Blue Flame had left the room, Thunder still felt as if those eyes were still watching him. Shivering, the skunk sank back into the couch, pulling the blanket over his body for protection.

Dagger kept his distance for quite a while. He wanted to avoid being choked again by that "fiend," as he so fondly called the firebird.

Diamond didn't know what to think, so whatever thoughts went through her curious little brain, she had half a mind to keep them to herself.

Goldwing was the most patient one of the group, and tried to engage in casual conversation with her new friend now and then. Blue Flame reacted kindly to the winged skunk, but he still wouldn't reveal anything about his identity.

Later, Blue Flame was sitting on the couch, seemingly mulling over something, when Dagger approached.

"Look you," the rabbit began. "I'm the leader of this band, and what I say goes! So if you don't want any trouble-"

The firebird shocked Dagger with a lightning bolt, knocking the arrogant rabbit to the floor.

"No, you listen to _me_, buster!" Blue Flame said harshly, standing up from the couch. "Where I come from, we don't cotton to bossy leaders! So if _you_ don't want any trouble, you need to ditch your rotten attitude and learn to trust me!"

"How do I trust a snake!?" Dagger sneered.

Blue Flame suddenly lit himself on fire and pinned Dagger to the floor.

"AGH! No wait! I take it back!" Dagger panicked, struggling under the firebird's iron grasp. "Don't hurt me!"

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't," Blue Flame growled.

The gray rabbit was speechless. He desperately searched for a reason, but could find none. "Fine!" Dagger said finally. "Y-you can be leader for now…if you want! Now get off before you burn me!"

The firebird stared into the rabbit's eyes a moment, and then breathed a heavy sigh, making his flames dissipate. He slowly rose off Dagger's chest and stood up. A moment of awkward silence followed as the two exchanged intense glances. Eventually, Blue Flame spoke up.

"If you and your friends ever want to get out of here, I will need your full cooperation."

Dagger was stunned for a minute, apparently trying to comprehend what this creature just said. Was this violent firebird really going to help them? The rabbit tried to make sense of it all. Blue Flame sensed Dagger's shocked state, and simply left the rabbit to decide whether to cooperate or not.

Thunder had been watching from the loft, apparently surprised not so much by Blue Flame's reaction to Dagger, but by the mere fact that this long-haired waterfowl was willing to help them. The only questions that remained were what would happen once they left the cabin? Where would they go? This led to other questions in the male skunk's mind. How would they tell the firebird how they ended up in this awful wilderness? Would he believe them?

Thunder made up his mind that he had to speak to the firebird. There was much information to be discussed.

* * *

"So, um…Blue Flame, right?" Thunder stood behind the fire creature. This normally tough skunk felt very nervous around the waterfowl, and hiding this nervousness was becoming increasingly difficult. Despite sensing the skunk's edginess, Blue Flame remained patient.

"Yes, that's me," the firebird answered with a slight tone of sarcasm. "And you are Thunder."

"Ah, yes," Thunder confirmed. "Um…Listen…I do believe that we started off on the wrong foot-"

Blue Flame held up his hand. "Sit down, Thunder."

The skunk hesitantly obliged. The last thing he wanted was to see that deathly stare – again. Fortunately, Blue Flame had refrained from making eye contact, but that made Thunder not much more comfortable than before.

"Do I make you uneasy, young warrior?" Thunder asked first.

"Unfortunately, yes," Blue Flame admitted. "But I refuse to let that stand in the way of a potential friendship."

"Well…that's good to hear," Thunder breathed. "But, I have a question. Why are you so uneasy in my presence? And – if you don't mind my asking – why did your face turn so hard the moment I answered your question this morning?"

The firebird breathed in deeply before answering. "I'd rather not reveal the whole story until I know for certain that I can trust you. But I will say this one thing: The mere sight of you triggers an old memory – a memory that won't be easily forgotten."

Thunder almost didn't know what to say. An old memory? Something was definitely wrong, but what? "Does this mean that we can't be friends?" the skunk asked slowly, his voice filled with doubt.

"No," the firebird answered honestly. "We can be friends. For the sake of my sanity, I must make a conscious effort to put the memory aside every time I see you."

At first, Thunder was about to ask what kind of memory Blue Flame had, but then the skunk remembered that the firebird was not about to reveal everything yet.

The skunk thought for a moment. "Do you trust Goldwing?"

"Not fully, but I do somewhat," Blue Flame replied. "I dare say, you're lucky to have her as a friend. She has a very sweet disposition. Don't take that for granted."

"Never," Thunder affirmed.

Blue Flame stole a quick glance at the skunk – in that quick instance, the firebird managed to process the type of clothing Thunder wore, which was a simple pair of brown pants and a forest green vest that pointed at the front, similar to Diamond's and Goldwing's.

"So," the firebird broke the momentary silence. "You said today you were from the North. Is that true?"

The male skunk nearly jumped but instantly calmed his nerves. "Yes, it is."

"That's interesting, because I don't remember reading about bald-faced skunks living in the North," Blue Flame continued. "And they have a different accent than the one you possess."

Thunder felt sweat forming under his fur. He didn't want to lie, but then again, he didn't know how he would tell the truth to the firebird. The skunk remembered how hostile Lightning Warriors could be towards foreigners, regardless of whether truth or lies were told.

As if on cue, Diamond called. "Thunder!"

"Coming!" Thunder called over his shoulder. Turning back to the firebird, he said, "Excuse me, please."

"Request granted," Blue Flame said politely.

Thunder nodded and quickly went towards the loft, where Diamond waited at the top. The firebird watched this skunk steadily. Something did seem slightly odd about him. Blue Flame knew that this skunk clearly wasn't from the North. Sure, Thunder wore the Northern style clothing, but his hair was different. Northerners usually wore braids, and their hair color ranged from blonde to red to gold, and so on. Thunder's hair was white with two black stripes running down the back – a pattern that imitated the stripes that marked his body – and it was long and free-flowing. And to top it off, Thunder's feet were bare, which was so unlike the way Northerners wore knee-high boots made from the fur of enemies the Northerners conquered.

Returning his gaze to the fire, the young firebird warrior contemplated further. A bald-faced skunk? Never before had Blue Flame seen a skunk with a bald face; all the skunks he had seen – especially from the North – had the typical black face with a white stripe running from the nose all the way to the end of the tail. As scenes randomly and rapidly flashed through Blue Flame's mind, he vaguely remembered a similar face, but it had been covered by a mask. So if this white-haired "Northerner" wasn't from the place he claimed to come from, then what was his nation?

As if matters weren't already hare-brained, Dagger had to make it even worse.

"Mysterious past, huh?" he said half-sarcastically as he stood off to the side. Visible electric currents surged through Blue Flame's body, making every muscle tense up. This display made Dagger wish he hadn't said anything. It seemed every time he opened his mouth, his words caused tension.

"I suppose you don't have one…!" the firebird came back hotly.

Dagger rubbed the back of his neck, and his expression seemed to change. "Well…I kinda do," he admitted reluctantly. "Not that it's worth sharing…with anyone…." His tone dropped, and his eyes cast downward to the floor.

"Not worth sharing?" the firebird said quietly.

"At least not right now," Dagger muttered, folding his arms across his body. For a moment, the firebird and rabbit made sincere eye contact – but this time, Blue Flame saw someone completely different behind Dagger's dark brown eyes. It was someone who was hurting, but hurting deeply. Apparently, it was too painful at the moment for the rabbit to share anything about his life; not to mention, he wasn't as close as he thought he was to his friends, Goldwing, Thunder, and Diamond. Otherwise, he would have told them. But maybe, just maybe, in time Dagger figured he could reveal his past to Blue Flame. Maybe the rabbit could trust this "violent fiend," as the firebird had previously been labeled.

Blue Flame had begun to feel bad about his reactions to Dagger's words. It was then that the firebird realized that there was more to the gray rabbit than met the eye. Oddly enough, Dagger did a decent job of hiding his true personality with sarcasm.

"…When you're ready," the firebird said simply.

Dagger at first didn't know what to think, but then he felt pleased. Someone was actually willing to listen to him. "Thanks, man," the rabbit said gratefully. "What's your name again?"

"Blue Flame," the firebird responded courteously. "And you are…?"

"Dagger," the rabbit asserted.

"It's a pleasure to meet you…Dagger," Blue Flame said cordially.

"Likewise."

A moment of silence followed – but it was a pleasant silence.

"So," Dagger broke the quiet. "When are we getting out of here?"

"Soon," Blue Flame confirmed.

"After that, where are we going?"

"To a very important place," Blue Flame stated. "It's called the Silver Temple."

"What's so important about it?"

"The Silver Temple was initially built to house refugees. It also served as a dojo to train said refugees in self-defense. My friend and I currently reside there along with two martial arts masters," the firebird explained. "I was thinking it'd be fair if the four of you stay with us."

"Why would you want me to be part of your group?" Dagger scoffed. "I treated you wrongly. You should just leave me behind."

"And let you rot alone in here? Never!" the firebird said emphatically.

Dagger stared at the fire creature for a minute. The rabbit wasn't sure he heard that right. He quickly tried to remember when was the last time someone actually showed any compassion to him. Dagger gathered his thoughts before he spoke.

"It…it's getting late," the rabbit stammered. "We should all turn in for the night. I'm sure you have big plans for tomorrow."

Blue Flame nodded. "I most certainly do," he stated honestly. "And I especially want to know how you four ended up here. But," he stood up, "rest comes first. Good night, Dagger."

"Night," Dagger said quietly, before padding over to the loft ladder and disappearing over the top of it. Blue Flame settled on the couch for the night.

* * *

"You're not going to have that finished by morning, are you?" Silver said flatly as he watched his master feverishly clean up the lab.

Lucianus sighed heavily. "I have to try. I must stick with my schedule."

"I hope you don't mind my saying, but you need to clear your mind first, Master," Silver suggested, "especially if you are to continue with your agenda."

The armored creature stopped for a minute, his head lowered in seemingly deep thought. "You have a point," he admitted. "Maybe I should focus the energy of my ninjas and myself to better be able to combat that…that…fire creature we encountered."

"That'd work," Silver said absent-mindedly.

"And that little friend of his," Lucianus added.

Silver remained silent at the mention of the other creature.

"Are you all right, Silver?" Lucianus asked with some amount of concern.

"Oh, yes, yes," the fox returned. "I'm just a little tired. Um…you don't need any help?"

"No, no," the black creature assured. "I can handle this myself. Go on, go to bed. I'll be turning in soon as well."

"Thank you, sir. Good night."

"Good night."

Silver closed the lab door behind him and casually shuffled down the long dark hall to his sleeping chamber. However, before he could make it to his room, he was stopped by one of the ninjas.

"Um, excuse me…Master Silver?" said a sweet musical voice.

"Yes, Myth?" the fox responded.

Myth removed her mask, revealing a lovely petite face, with electric blue eyes that seemed to squint. Her short black hair blended in with the darkness around her. "Can I talk to you for a sec?"

"Of course, my child," Silver said sweetly.

The old fox pushed the door to his room open, beckoning the young girl to follow, and shutting the door behind him. The doors and walls of the hideout were sound-proof – which Silver liked – so talking to Myth wouldn't be an issue. Myth knelt on the floor, facing the window; the fox followed suit.

"So what is the problem?" Silver started.

Myth sighed. "My cousin and the other ninjas were picking on me again," the girl complained.

"Again…" Silver muttered the last word. "Was it anything different this time?"

"No…" Myth whined. "It's the same old garbage: 'You can't fight!' 'You're such a little girl!' 'You'll never amount to anything in life!' 'You're so clumsy!'" She sighed again, clearly exasperated from the insults. "I'm starting to second-guess myself."

Silver thought deeply before he spoke. "Well…" he began, measuring his words carefully. "You do tend to be clumsy…"

"Gee, thanks!"

"But you could use that 'clumsiness' to your advantage," Silver suggested.

"How do you mean?" Myth asked hotly, her face turning a light shade of red. She hated being called clumsy, even if she was that way.

"For one thing, you are actually very smart," Silver explained. "Combat is not all about brute force, you know. Everyone has their place-"

"Yeah, at the back of the line!" Myth interrupted, referring to herself.

The fox cleared his throat. "I'm simply saying you could use your smarts," he continued. "You're also very good at archery."

Myth wasn't sure what to say now. She felt only slightly better, but that didn't stop negative thoughts from going through her head. "I just want to be like the other ninjas: fearless! Unstoppable!"

"Why can't you be yourself for a change?" Silver asked. Myth made eye contact with the fox. She was rather speechless. "You could be fearless and unstoppable if you just make an effort to improve the talents you do possess. …Do you understand?"

"…I understand, Master."

* * *

Thunder lay awake in bed – wide awake. He figured this night was going to be another all-nighter. He'd had a few of them before, but this one seemed more intense than usual. Trying to sleep was rather pointless, he thought. So, managing to stay extremely quiet, he rose off his bed and positioned himself between the curtains of the window, staring out at the darkness. The only lights that shone were the dim stars, and a lonely dull blue planet making its way across the sky. At least this was better than laying wide awake and staring at nothing but blackness. The young skunk wanted rest so badly, but whatever it was that plagued his mind at that moment kept him awake. Maybe it was the conversation he had with the firebird earlier – yes, that was it. The way Blue Flame asked those questions earlier bothered Thunder.

_I can't tell him I'm not from there,_ Thunder thought. _What would he think of me? Wait…he's already suspicious about it. Oh, Thunder, you've got yourself into quite a mess…!_

After what seemed like a while of staring at the black landscape – and it was quite a long while – Thunder eventually moseyed his way back to bed. But he still wasn't tired enough to go to sleep.

"You didn't tell him yet, did you?" a voice whispered.

Thunder all but jumped out of his skin, but when his head turned, he saw Diamond's dim form at the side of his bed.

"Please don't do that again," the skunk whispered back.

"Sorry."

The two continued their conversation in hushed tones.

"You didn't answer my question, though," said Diamond.

"Oh," Thunder groaned. "I didn't get a chance to tell him our story. He started questioning me instead."

"What about?"

"He wanted to know where I was from." The skunk's tone dropped as he continued, "He is suspicious of my origin." He paused, looking around. "We shouldn't talk about this now. He may still be awake."

"You're right," said Diamond. "I'll go to bed now." With that, the female rabbit silently slipped back into her bed, snuggling under the covers.

It was a long time before Thunder actually slept. During that time, he searched for every rational explanation he could think of in case the firebird questioned again. But all that came to no avail. He didn't want to lie; but if he could protect the friendship, he thought, then maybe that would be best. It wouldn't be the wisest choice the skunk ever made, but he figured it was better than nothing.

As Thunder finished this thought, he had a sudden realization: The reason Blue Flame's gaze had hardened when Thunder said he was from the North, was that the skunk had told a partial truth – and somehow, the firebird knew it. But how did this eastern warrior know? Surely, the firebird hadn't practiced any sort of dark magic – such a notion was absurd to the eastern warriors. Only the magicians dealt with the dark magic. Maybe it was because of the firebird's intuitive nature, which made him highly sensitive to one's thoughts, tendencies, and emotions. Thunder concluded he would have to be more careful in the future.

But for how long could the skunk hide the truth?

Only time would tell.

With that one small comfort – or lack thereof – in mind, Thunder finally closed his eyes and soon drifted off into a deep slumber.


	3. Chapter 3: The Other Warrior

**Finally I have some time to upload this chapter! This week has been kind of busy and I had a bit of a scare. Recently I was doing my computer work, and when I switched the program to an earlier version just to view the work, my computer began lagging on me! Fortunately, I didn't lose all my artwork or stories, thank goodness. We're all good! :)**

**The character you'll be meeting shortly is actually from the Duck Dodgers series. His name was originally Drake Darkstar, but I changed his last name to sound more fantasy-like. When I first saw Drake - who was, in every sense of the word, a villain - I liked the character so much, I had to include him in this story. Initially, he was going to be the bad guy, but I settled for Marvin (a.k.a. Lucianus) being Blue Flame's main nemesis. **

* * *

**Chapter 3: The Other Warrior**

As the night dragged slowly onward, and the moon, stars, and planets traveled across the vast dark sky, a lonely creature plodded through the snow. He shivered pitifully as he meandered through the tall black lifeless trees. Winter in this part of the wilderness always seemed unfriendly; and the cold was so bitter, it was no wonder nothing lived there. In some parts of this forest, small trees were completely iced over, with no hope that life would ever return to them. The much larger trees were dark, scraggly, and menacing, and looked as if they were born from a nightmare; though their thin starved appearance didn't seem to faze the lonely creature.

The creature pressed onward against the biting wind until he found a cave in the side of a hill. It was small, but it at least promised some protection from the bitter cold. He stumbled into the opening, bracing himself against the cave's wall, lest he should collapse onto the hard ground from utter exhaustion. The creature settled himself down against the side of the cave and huddled into a ball in an attempt to stay warm. He dared not go to sleep, for he feared he would pass out and freeze to death. He tried with every fiber of his being to stay awake, though sleep threatened to overtake him at any moment.

* * *

Something didn't feel right. A tense feeling in his body woke the firebird from his sleep. He looked around the cabin, feeling quite dazed. His vision was blurry, and the light from the fire didn't help. Blue Flame closed his eyes again and tried to sleep; but that tense feeling was still there, and it bothered him tremendously, for it was becoming more painful now.

Blue Flame became frustrated with trying to sleep, so he sat up and rubbed his eyes. He blinked a few times and gazed around the cabin again. Groaning, he massaged his head and began pressing his hands into his body to relieve the pain. Even the heat from his hands did nothing. Looking at the fireplace, the firebird thought that maybe hanging out in the fire would help. And that's what he did. Rising from the couch, the firebird walked over to the flames and, taking a deep breath, entered the fire and sat down in it. The fire felt wonderful, and it eased the tense pain a bit. He closed his eyes and allowed the flames to engulf him.

A sudden gasp snapped him out of his trance. Blue Flame looked past the fire and saw Thunder standing in the room, the skunk's eyes wide with horror. The firebird slowly stood up and stepped out of the fireplace to show that no harm had come to him – though he was still on fire.

Thunder all but lost his breath at the sight. "Hh…how…did you do that?" he breathed.

"Firebirds don't burn like everything else does," Blue Flame explained. "My kind absorbs the fire."

The skunk was taken aback, feeling quite skeptical about this…weird event. "…Aand…why exactly _were_ you in the fireplace?" he asked slowly.

"Relieving some pain," the firebird stated. He suddenly winced at feeling the pain return. "But it's back now…" The firebird closed his eyes and breathed a heavy sigh that caused the flames to dissipate instantly. When he opened his eyes again, the fiery color was brighter than usual. Ignoring the nerve-wracking brightness, Thunder tried to continue the conversation.

"So what is this pain about?" the skunk asked.

Blue Flame thought for a moment, and then concluded, "It's not just pain…someone's lost, but I don't know who."

Thunder blinked. "Lost? Lost where? There's no one else in this wilderness but us!" he objected.

"Still…I can't just sit here and do nothing!" Blue Flame snapped, making his way for the door.

The skunk instantly grabbed the firebird, trying to restrain him. Blue Flame stiffened.

"Let go of me," the firebird said in a low voice.

"I'm not letting you go out there!" Thunder insisted. "It's too cold out and…what if you freeze out there?"

There was silence.

"Remember how Goldwing found you?" the skunk said more softly this time. "She found you mostly frozen in the snow-"

"Thunder!" Blue Flame interrupted. "Enough of the sentimental thoughts. I know what she did for me, and I'm very grateful. While I'm still warm enough, I may as well begin my search. Now let me go!"

Thunder realized that nothing he said would deter the firebird. Saying nothing more, the skunk released the firebird and watched as the fire creature took off at literal lightning speed into the sky, his fire wings and tail shining beautifully against the darkness of the early morning. Thunder marveled at the sight, and watched until his fire friend was only a glimmer of light in the distance. Closing the door, the skunk seated himself on the couch and resolved to listen and wait for Blue Flame, silently wishing that the young warrior would be careful and return to the cabin soon.

* * *

Flying had never felt so good. The firebird glided through the chilly air, searching the ground in the hopes that he would see the one he sought. But there was nothing but the endless, white, barren landscape stretching out for miles under the dark sky.

An hour later, the sun began to peek over the horizon, the sky turning pale hues. The warmth from that ball of fire energized the firebird, so he figured he'd search a while longer. He dared not fly too close to the snow, for the cold of that white substance was very strong to him, and he needed all the warmth he could get. Blue Flame rose a bit higher to catch some more rays of sun.

Glancing to the left, he thought he saw something dark against the snow. Indeed, the sun's light had touched on a clump of dark trees. Heading in that direction, Blue Flame saw that it was more than a clump – it was an entire forest of dead, black trees, some of which were iced over.

A horrid feeling made knots form in the pit of the firebird's stomach. There was something about that place that forbade him from going there, but he was still interested in seeing it. Reluctantly, he turned around and went back to the cabin.

* * *

Thunder was waiting at the window when Blue Flame arrived. Upon spotting the firebird in the distance, the skunk ran to the door and eagerly went out onto the porch. Blue Flame came closer and closer, finally landing on the snow. He went up to the steps, where he met Thunder.

"No luck?" the skunk questioned.

"…..No," Blue Flame answered quietly. When their eyes met, Thunder saw a mixed expression of disappointment and worry written on the firebird's face. Blue Flame ascended the four stairs and brushed past Thunder. The skunk sighed and followed the firebird into the cabin.

When the door was shut, Thunder expressed his curiosity. "What did you see out there?"

"…Some fearful place," Blue Flame responded in a faraway voice. "It looks interesting, but…scary…at the same time. It's been a while since I felt such fear."

"What do you mean?" Thunder questioned.

"I need time to think," the firebird said dismissively, and seated himself on the couch.

* * *

The next day came, and with that, another search – still no results. Then came the second day – then the third – then the fourth, all with no results. In and out, in and out the firebird went, searching hither, thither, and yon, much to the chagrin of Goldwing, Thunder, and Diamond; they worried about him terribly. Dagger, on the other hand, couldn't have cared less; he was convinced the firebird was up to no good. But that showed how little the rabbit knew.

The fifth day came, and Blue Flame once again took to the skies. This time – at Thunder's insistence – the firebird flew at midday. Fortunately, there were no clouds to cover the sun, which shone brightly. Despite his apprehension to the dark forest of dead trees, Blue Flame decided he would go to this place; he didn't know why he settled on that, but there was no time to debate that issue.

As he flew closer to the forest, that tense pain in his body grew stronger, making it harder for him to fly. He knew then that he was close to the creature he sought. Swooping in closer to the forest, Blue Flame was quite horrified at the sight below him: thin starved trees bent halfway over, mostly covered in ice loomed above many lumps in the snow. This forest was silent – deathly silent. It was now obvious why Blue Flame didn't like this place: it was a mass graveyard. Thinking of these poor unfortunate creatures buried in the snow, the firebird felt rather sad inside. This place reminded him of a similar scene that he never forgot.

A sudden twitch brought him back to his senses. Shaking his head, he took his focus off the dead creatures and continued his search. After some time passed, he felt strong electric surges going through his body; he knew then that the creature was close. Scanning the area, Blue Flame spotted something moving through the trees. It moved slowly until it almost didn't move at all. The firebird gasped and swiftly swooped in, weaving his way around the dead plants. When he landed, he instantly recognized the nearly lifeless form.

"Drake!" Blue Flame shouted and bolted towards his friend. Drake looked something like Blue Flame, except this warrior had clear blue eyes and black hair, which was braided down the back. Instead of brown pants, he wore white ones, with the same black shoes that the firebird wore. Blue Flame knelt down next to Drake and gently shook the young warrior.

"Drake, speak to me!" Blue Flame said, nearly panicking.

Drake coughed, and though his breathing was shallow, he managed to rasp out a few words.

"What…are you…doing here…?"

"I came to get you out of here," Blue Flame spoke gently, as he cradled his frozen friend, trying to warm him.

"How did…you…survive?" Drake coughed.

"I'll explain that later," the firebird said quickly. "Come, hop on my back."

Drake found what little strength he had to get up and, with the aid of his friend, was secured on the back of the firebird.

"Hang on, Drake," Blue Flame said. With Drake holding on as tight as he could, the firebird took off at lightning speed once again.

As the two glided swiftly through the air, Drake whispered, "Where are we going?"

The firebird answered, "There's a cabin in this wilderness. Four creatures are living there now and they will help take care of you."

"Oh," Drake said softly, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "You actually trust someone."

Blue Flame chuckled. "Yes I do." He paused for a minute. "Whether the one truly trusts me is a different matter."

* * *

"He left us, didn't he?" Dagger questioned as he approached Thunder.

"Actually, no," Thunder asserted, sitting confidently on the couch.

"I _knew_ that fiend was up to no good!" Dagger insisted.

"Calm down, _mon ami_!" Thunder said firmly. "He didn't leave us!"

"Then why does he keep leaving?" Dagger came back moodily.

"Were you not listening?! He said he had to find someone!"

"Like who?!"

Just then, the door opened, and Blue Flame came in, supporting Drake. Thunder and Dagger rushed to assist the firebird. Thunder cautiously picked Drake up and carried the frozen warrior to the couch, instantly covering the semi-unconscious duck with a warm blanket. Dagger noticed that Blue Flame was shivering a little, so the rabbit instinctively brought the firebird to the fireplace to warm up.

"Thanks," Blue Flame said, his arms wrapped around his body.

Dagger raised his eyebrows. He wasn't expecting any form of gratitude, but he simply muttered, "You're welcome," and left the firebird to warm up. Muttering under his breath, Dagger climbed the ladder to the loft.

As Thunder rubbed Drake's arms, the skunk noticed something familiar about him. Thunder tried not to make it obvious that he was studying the duck's face. Yes, there was definitely something about this creature that the skunk recognized – the braid, the structure of the face. What really set Thunder on edge was when Drake opened his eyes a little, revealing a clear blue color that was so opposite Blue Flame's fiery eyes. Drake's gaze locked onto Thunder's eyes, which were an intense brownish-red.

_Thank you,_ Drake mouthed.

Thunder responded with a smile, but quickly erased his expression when Blue Flame approached the couch. Touching Drake's head, the firebird asked, "How are you feeling, buddy?"

Drake took a shallow breath before rasping, "Could be better…"

The firebird chuckled lightly, causing a slight smile to form on Drake's face. "Get some rest, Drake," Blue Flame said softly. The blue-eyed warrior closed his eyes and breathed a shallow sigh.

"Do you think he'll be all right?" Thunder questioned with a noticeable amount of concern on his face.

"He'll be fine," Blue Flame answered quietly, pulling the blanket further over his friend. "The warmth will aid his breathing. Come. Let's leave him alone for a while."

* * *

Lucianus leaned against one of his machines, mostly asleep and muttering stupidly; a spectacle which drew a laugh from the ever-observant Silver. The laugh brought the black creature to his senses. He slowly pushed himself up off of the machine and attempted to glare at the fox, but even that amused the old canine all the more.

"You're still at it?" Silver grinned broadly. "I must say, sir, you need more discipline!"

"Your good humor fails to amuse me…!" Lucianus returned hotly. "Go make me some of that energizing tea. I need all the energy I can get right now."

Silver bowed respectfully. "With pleasure, sir. Be back in a little while." The fox left the lab, which allowed the armored creature to wake up more. In the short space of time that Silver was out of the room, Lucianus, being more awake, mused to himself about the creatures that had recently escaped. Sitting down on his chair, he began making big plans for the future – but then realized he had to take those first steps toward reaching his goal. Pulling open a drawer, Lucianus retrieved a small book and an old-fashioned brush pen, and began to write:

_It has been a few days since that firebird creature and his friend escaped. The mess in my lab is worse than I thought – and it may take me much longer to clean it all up. Most of my important things are either in shambles or completely destroyed – no thanks to that loathsome, fire-breathing numbskull! He is the one to blame for all this. His friend more or less chickened out. _

_But enough of my rambling; there is something about that fire creature that I quite admire, despite his impulsive emitting of fire and electricity. Something in his piercing gaze communicated someone who is very smart and quick-witted, and not one that is easily fooled; but that will not deter me from attempting to conquer his powerful mind. If I can accomplish that, that will give me a step up in bringing this world under my control. _

When finished with his brief write-up, Lucianus immediately closed the book and quietly placed that and the pen back in the drawer. He would write more after studying the firebird – whenever he got that chance. As soon as he closed the drawer, Silver entered the room with steaming hot tea. The smell emanating from it was sweet and pleasing.

"Tea is ready, sir," Silver said cheerfully. "I must say, I particularly enjoy that little instant-tea invention of yours! It is marvelous!"

"Thank you, Silver. Please, set it on my desk."

The old fox obliged. "Do you need any help, Lucianus? You seem lost."

"No, Silver," the armored creature declined the offer. "There is too much strewn around, and most of it is very heavy; I wouldn't want you getting hurt."

"Very well, sir." Silver turned around and promptly left the lab.

"Oh, Silver?" Lucianus called. The old fox peered around the door. "Since this cleanup will take longer than expected, I need my ninja army trained. Who knows what type of battle the fire creature will put up when I see him again?"

"Will do, sir," Silver said blankly. Lucianus nodded and the old fox continued to his bed chamber.

* * *

Thunder stayed with Drake for the rest of the morning. The young skunk was clearly concerned about the sleeping warrior, and wondered when the black-haired creature would wake up. Thunder wanted so badly to talk to Drake – especially ever since the skunk saw Drake's familiar clear blue eyes. He wanted to know everything that happened to Drake, to see if the young braided-haired creature was really who Thunder thought he was.

As the skunk sat near the couch in his diligent watch, he studied Drake as much as possible. Strangely enough, the sight of the young blue-eyed warrior began triggering a memory in Thunder's mind. Vague images came to the skunk's mind – images of a dark village against the eerie light of the moon, but nothing more.

_This is very strange,_ Thunder thought. _Why am I seeing this? And what does it mean?_

As the young skunk pondered on this, Drake's eyes opened. The warrior's eyes met Thunder's, and for a moment, the world around Thunder seemed to disappear; and this time, a very clear image of the wild and unruly village faded into view. The face of the black warrior seemed younger, the eyes bigger and filled with sheer terror.

"Good morning," Drake said in a much clearer voice than earlier.

The cabin interior suddenly replaced the village scene, and Thunder's focus was brought back to the present. Drake waited patiently for an answer as he observed the skunk.

"Oh, uh…good morning," the skunk stammered.

"You seem a little…uneasy," Drake replied.

"Perhaps," Thunder willingly admitted, his eyes betraying the fact that he knew something about this young warrior. Lowering his voice, he said, "Now is not the time to discuss this."

Drake nodded approvingly. "When would be a better time?" the warrior asked in a hushed tone.

"…I don't know."

The warrior shifted for a moment, making himself more comfortable in the puffy cushions. "What is your name?"

"Thunder," the skunk replied. "And your name is 'Drake,' right?"

"My full name is Drake Starlin," Drake said. "But 'Drake' is fine." In a quiet voice, he asked, "Where have you been all this time?"

Thunder shifted uncomfortably and he cast a withering glance at the creature on the couch; Drake just _had_ to ask that question! Glancing nervously at the ladder, the skunk said curtly, "In the North."

"Ah," Drake responded quietly.

Meanwhile, Blue Flame, who had been napping on one of the beds, was waking up.

"Wakey wakey!" Diamond exclaimed excitedly, nearly jumping up and down with elation next to his bed.

"Seriously, Diamond?" Blue Flame groaned. "Keep it to yourself."

Goldwing slowly released herself from her large golden cocoon. "Diamond, it's too early," the winged skunk complained.

Diamond whined childishly, as she was someone who liked to have her own way. To her, this was an unfair response to her usually upbeat morning greeting. Pouting, she made her way down the ladder, and when she beheld the sight before her, she gasped quite loudly.

"There's a stranger on the couch!" she shrieked, causing Drake and Thunder to cringe.

"Ssshhh!" Thunder shushed. "What kind of greeting is that for our guest? Show some more respect!"

The noisy exchange brought Blue Flame to the bottom of the ladder. He smoothly walked past the silly rabbit and calmly approached his friend.

"Morning, Drake," the firebird greeted warmly.

"Morning, Flame," Drake responded happily.

"Sleep well?"

"Yes, quite."

"Good," Blue Flame smiled.

"Oh, so you two know each other!" Diamond interrupted.

"Diamond," Blue Flame groaned irritably.

Thunder immediately clapped his hand over the rabbit's mouth. "Button it," he hissed in her ear.

Drake chuckled. "Interesting friends you have here," he commented, obviously amused at Diamond's behavior.

"I'd say so," the firebird returned flatly, glancing at the skunk and rabbit.

"How long have you been here?" Drake wondered aloud.

"Today is the…fifth day I'm here," Blue Flame responded, trying to remember how long it had been. "But I also have a question: How did you manage to survive for the amount of time since we separated?"

"I tried to stay hidden in the caves," said Drake. "I also must have been quite pumped with adrenalin to remain warm for so long."

"I hope you don't mind my butting in," said Goldwing, rubbing the sleepiness from her eyes. "But how did you guys end up in this wilderness?"

"…Some insane armored creature captured us," Blue Flame replied, his expression growing dark. "We've never seen anyone quite like him."

Drake nodded in agreement to that comment.

"Do you know why he captured you?" Goldwing continued.

"He only mentioned an 'agenda,'" Blue Flame said thoughtfully. "But that was about all he would let on."

"Oh," Goldwing replied forlornly, her eyes cast downward.

"What do you know of this creature?" Drake interrupted, slightly perplexed.

"We were also captured by him," Dagger joined in. His expression was hateful and his arms folded tightly over his chest. "But we don't remember much else beyond that."

Blue Flame seemed disappointed in what Dagger explained. These four creatures were captured, but they didn't remember anything? That didn't seem right, the firebird thought. Surely, there was much to learn of this matter; and the firebird wasn't going to let something like this slip from his mind. Whatever information he wanted, he would get it, no matter what he went through.

"I fear that creepy thing might come after us again," Goldwing stated. "How long until we can escape this…prison?"

"Judging by the amount of damage he has to clean," Blue Flame smirked, "we should leave before the afternoon."

"Damage?" everyone else exclaimed almost all at once.

Blue Flame chuckled devilishly. "I started most of his possessions on fire before I escaped – especially the most valuable ones."

"Only you, Flame," Drake shook his head. "Only you."

* * *

"But what if he comes searching for us?" Diamond asked.

"He won't," Blue Flame asserted as he, Drake, and their new friends moved towards the door. "At least not any time soon." As the firebird opened the door, the creatures were greeted with an icy cold wind, but the air seemed friendly this time. No longer confined to their cabin prison, the group of six ventured out into the snow, the skunks and rabbits inhaling the fresh crisp air. This morning, the sun shone softly and its light was warm and welcoming.

"Don't get distracted," Blue Flame said politely as he shut the door. "You'll get enough fresh air on the way to the Silver Temple."

"What is this 'Silver Temple' like?" Goldwing asked, her eyes shining with the idea of seeing this temple.

"It's a beautiful place," said Blue Flame as he began leading the group, Goldwing listening intently. "Words couldn't do its magnificence justice."

"I quite agree, Flame," Drake chimed in, his eyes far away as he pictured the temple in his mind. "Its architecture is quite impressive."

"Oh! Does it have, like, really spacious rooms and stuff?" Diamond piped up.

This time, Blue Flame chuckled good-naturedly. "Yes it does," he confirmed. "However it is easy to get lost."

"What…?" Diamond's face practically fell as the idea struck her. The firebird snickered.

"Flame, that was mean," Drake reproved.

"I couldn't help it," Blue Flame stated, his face beaming with amusement.

"So, how long before we arrive there?" Thunder joined the conversation.

"We should be there by nightfall," the firebird said simply.

* * *

The journey was rather long. As far as the eye could see, there was nothing but an endless desert of snow. The sky was a clear blue, and rather cheery; but the happiness of the blue sky did little to lift Dagger's sour mood. The gray rabbit kept what he thought to be a reasonable distance between himself and the others. But even that didn't help him feel better.

Goldwing, being at the back of the group, noticed how far the rabbit had strayed. She quickly ran over her options on how to draw Dagger closer. Words wouldn't help, as they would only make him more irritable. Then an idea came to her mind, an idea which she immediately executed. With her enormous golden wing, Goldwing gently touched Dagger's shoulder that faced the outside, and smoothly guided him back into the group. The rabbit didn't seem to care about what the female skunk did; nevertheless, Goldwing celebrated inwardly over her success. Brute force wasn't always the way to go with the nervy rabbit, and this instance just proved that concept.

Diamond managed to stay quiet for most of the trip. Only a few times she had asked if they were there yet. And of course, the obvious answer was an emphatic "no."

About an hour later, the creatures decided to rest for a while, for the walking had tired their legs a bit. Blue Flame thought it best to check if there were any clusters of trees nearby. Igniting himself, and ascending gracefully into the air, he caught sight of a small tree cluster some small distance away. Slowly descending, but not landing, the firebird announced where their brief resting place would be. A sigh of relief rippled through the group, and they followed their flaming friend as he led them to the trees.

Once under the lifeless plants, the creatures all seated themselves or lay down in the snow. Their fur (and feathers in the Lightning Warriors' case) protected them from the harsh cold.

Thunder was still thinking about his earlier conversation with Drake. The young skunk was still on edge, though he hid it well this time. But he still wondered if Blue Flame sensed the uneasiness; even then, the firebird wouldn't usually give a hint if he did. The one thing that made Thunder more curious than anything was Blue Flame's fiery yellow eyes. The skunk had to inquire about them, so he did.

"Blue Flame?" Thunder spoke up to the firebird next to him.

"Yes, Thunder?" the firebird replied immediately.

_How do I ask him without having him suspect something?_ Thunder panicked inwardly. "How is it that your eyes are yellow, yet Drake's are so blue?" he managed to ask.

"I was born with them that color," Blue Flame answered simply. "Such is the mark of a true firebird."

"Ah," said Thunder, now most interested in the subject. "Do all firebirds have yellow eyes?"

"Actually, no," said the firebird. "There are some that have red; some have green; and in some cases, deep dark blue…or ice blue." On the mention of the last two colors, Blue Flame's voice seemed filled with sentiment – Thunder noticed this.

"Are you all right, young warrior?" the skunk asked.

"I wish I could say 'yes,'" Blue Flame said quietly.

Silence was the only response from Thunder as he thought about Blue Flame's words. As expected, the firebird's reply plagued Thunder for the rest of the journey and even beyond that.

Dagger loved the feeling of the snow. It was refreshing, and being that he kept his distance yet again from his friends, he managed to find some peace. He closed his eyes and breathed a contented sigh. Drake eyed the rabbit closely. The black feathered warrior noticed how happy Dagger seemed at the moment. Before, the duck had sensed some tension from the grey-furred creature. Drake wished to strike up a casual conversation, but he figured he'd wait a while longer before attempting to make friends.

About twenty minutes later, Blue Flame stated it was time to continue. Reluctantly, the creatures rose to their feet – only to find that those short twenty minutes had given them a little more energy than expected. They had been walking for another half hour before Diamond had another question; this time, it wasn't "are we there yet?" Scooting up next to the handsome firebird, she asked, "How did you figure out the timeframe of our journey?"

"…Well, as I was searching for Drake," Blue Flame began. "I had noticed the temple glimmering in the far distance."

"Wow…!" said Diamond, with a faraway look in her eyes. "It must be fun to fly so high…!"

"Yes it is," the firebird confirmed.

"What's it like to fly with firebirds? Like, would someone get burned?"

"No one gets burned," Blue Flame said assertively. "Flying with them is quite safe."

"Oh, cool…!"

The creatures continued in silence for another three hours. By then, the sun was already past its highest peak in the sky. Any other creature would have stumbled from exhaustion, but not these. Thunder was particularly tough, and he most often credited the North for that. Diamond and Goldwing only became a little tired, but still they pressed on. The girls were used to the cold up in the North, so to them, this was almost nothing. Dagger, having grown up in a warmer part of Odin, wasn't used to such temperatures; hence why he shivered. Blue Flame sensed the rabbit's discomfort and decided to do something about it. He knew the rabbit would probably complain, but at this point, showing some kindness was the better option here. Running over his options in his head, the firebird had an idea.

"You all right back there, Dagger?" Blue Flame asked over his shoulder. (The question about startled the other four, as they had all been lost in thought.)

"I'm…fine…" Dagger responded with a shiver.

Blue Flame halted the group and approached Dagger, gazing intently at the rabbit. Dagger looked up.

"Okay, I admit it," the rabbit began a little sharply. "I'm not used to this weather!" Another shiver shook his body in a way that concerned the firebird a bit.

"…Maybe this will do," Blue Flame suggested, putting his hand forward.

Dagger straightened up. "What are you doing?"

The firebird proceeded to touch the rabbit's shoulder. Dagger's eyes widened as he felt the high temperature of that black-feathered hand, and immediately jumped back. Diamond, Goldwing, and Thunder were greatly disturbed by this display. The firebird, however, knew what he was doing, so he paid no attention to the others.

"It's okay, Dagger," the firebird assured, drawing closer to the rabbit. "C'mere." Blue Flame gently took Dagger's arm in one hand, and used the other hand to rub some heat into the grey creature's back. It didn't take long, as Dagger showed some signs of improvement. He felt more content now and had a renewed strength.

Blue Flame sensed the contentment and said, "Better?"

"Yeah," said Dagger, a light smile tugging at his mouth. Making eye contact with the firebird, the rabbit added, "Thanks."

"You're welcome," Blue Flame smiled.

As the firebird made his way to the front of the group (Thunder, Goldwing, and Diamond clearly astonished), he motioned for everyone to press forward. Drake slid up next to his white-haired friend and said quietly, "Well done."

Blue Flame chuckled good-naturedly.

* * *

The sun was beginning to set. The Silver Temple's roofs were just mere specks in the distance, but it excited the creatures very much, for now they could fully rest themselves. The land was no longer flat, but began to incline, and the tops of trees were coming into view – lots of trees – and low rolling hills that showed more than just snow. There was the sight of rocks and little caves standing out black against the pure whiteness. Winter plants could be seen sticking up out of the snow, with little pixies dancing around them.

Soon, the group arrived at a faint pathway.

"This leads to the Silver Temple," Blue Flame announced.

Everyone cheered – except for Dagger, but even he seemed pleased at the moment – and all six creatures eagerly followed the path.

The Silver Temple was the most gorgeous sight one could ever lay eyes on, especially in the evening. As the sun slowly continued its descent in the west, its light illuminated the pointed roofs of the massive structure, turning the edges of the blue roofs gold. Tiny white and gold sparkling lights danced around the winter plants that decorated the temple exterior.

Blue Flame and his friends paused briefly on the pathway they travelled to gaze at the Silver Temple in all its beauty. Goldwing and Diamond were beyond the point of enamored; Thunder was clearly awestruck; and Dagger remained as indifferent as ever, considering he was still skeptical about everything that was taking place.

"What do you guys think?" the firebird asked.

"It's. So. Gorgeous," Diamond said, with a bug-eyed expression.

"What are those tiny lights?" Thunder wondered aloud.

"Snow maids and fire maids," Blue Flame responded as he watched the shining little pixies. "Come. They always look better up close."

The firebird motioned for his friends to follow as he started towards the temple. Indeed, as they neared the front steps, they paused to look at the pixies and the plants. Truly, the scene was more wonderful up close, even though it looked just as beautiful from a distance. Goldwing was particularly interested to see what they looked like, so she tried to get as close as possible to the plants without disturbing the snow maids.

A few snow maids stopped their dancing to look at the group of creatures that had just arrived. These pixies were a bluish-white color, their coats a dazzling bright blue. As one of them floated over to the firebird, Goldwing could see that this tiny girl also wore a little blue headband with a feather-like decoration attached to the center. Blue Flame extended his hand, which the snow maid gently lighted on. The firebird gazed sweetly at the pixie, who laughed and giggled with joy. She turned around and made a sweet high-pitched sound, and within seconds, a host of fire and snow maids surrounded the creatures, urging the guests to go into the Silver Temple. This display caused the creatures to laugh, for sometimes the snow maids would absent-mindedly tickle you. And if you laughed, they would respond with high-pitched squeaky laughter.

Blue Flame managed to worm his way out of the crowd of pixies and stepped up to the giant double doors. These doors were made of pure gold with many intricate silver designs in them. The firebird grasped the silver handles and proceeded to pull the doors open.

* * *

**What ****_is_**** behind the doors? Prepare to be amazed! :)**


End file.
